As in other desert cultures, a number of the loveliest places in Las Vegas are hidden—charming oases located in the most unlikely places. There are few historic buildings to renovate into appealing restaurants, bookstores, libraries and gardens, so locals have adapted strip malls and office complexes to a variety of purposes.
One such place is the Aroma Garden Café, an attractive café/restaurant located in a small office complex near the 215 Beltway in the rapidly expanding southwest part of town. When we first entered the café, it appeared to be a pretty but not unusually decorated café—overstuffed earth-toned booths, an inviting pastry case and a giant coffee bar. However, the friendly hostess led us into an atrium called the Small Talk Garden. Pleasantly kitschy, it had a gurgling fountain and just enough greenery to be relaxing. During the summer months, air-conditioning protects the diners from the heat, but the room should be even more pleasant once the weather turns and the doors can be opened.
The diverse menu is lengthy and pan-Mediterranean in concept. Chef Clemente Escobedo Diaz, formerly of the venerable Drai’s, has hit all the bases, from southern French and Italian to Middle Eastern, with a few Spanish and Greek elements thrown in for good measure. Our party began with an artichoke appetizer ($9.50), split in half, topped with Parmesan and finished under the broiler. It was attractive and tasty, but a bit awkward to eat, as the leaves were on the bottom and messy to pick off. The dish was served with a fresh spring green salad accompanied by intensely flavored cherry tomatoes.
For main courses, the menu choices included salads, omelets, sandwiches/panini, pastas, pizza and conventional entrées. We chose one conventional entrée and a pasta dish. My companion had the grilled chicken breast in pesto ($13.75), which was served on a sizzling flat iron accompanied by simple, perfectly cooked rice. The chicken was tender and cut into well-trimmed pieces; the pesto was nicely balanced and not overpowered by garlic. It was such a large portion that half of the dinner was taken home for the next day’s lunch.
For my pasta dish, I was able to mix and match sauces, pasta and add-ons (like meats, fish, porcini mushrooms). I chose the penne with olive oil, garlic and basil ($11.75) and added shrimp ($6). As my dining companion and I have a history of competitive restaurant ordering, we tasted each other’s selections. I won.
The four shrimp were huge, tender and succulent, and took well to the sauce, which was based on a very fresh and lightly flavored olive oil. My only complaint was that the pasta was not as al dente as I like and was a bit over-sauced. These are not deal-killers for me, so I would go back again and ask that the dish be tweaked to accommodate my preferences. As everything is cooked to order from fresh ingredients, this shouldn’t present the kitchen with any problem.
For dessert, we tried the chocolate mousse cake and the coppa spagnola (a gelato parfait). The mousse cake had good flavor but was somewhat ordinary. As an ice cream lover, I found the coppa a welcome alternative to the flour-laden desserts on most restaurant menus. The creamy vanilla gelato was shot through with a cherry ribbon and attractively presented in a parfait glass. Although the desserts were not house-made, they were good, although a bit pricey at $6 each. A rich and smooth espresso ($3.50) accompanied our dessert.
A decent selection of specialty beers and wine is available. Most of the wines are moderately priced in the $6 per glass/$25 per bottle range. While we ate, we observed other plates presented around us. The generous main course salads looked appealing; the sandwiches were good-sized and accompanied by small salads.
Aroma Garden Café also has a wide selection of vegetarian offerings, and vegans would have little difficulty selecting a satisfactory meal from the menu, especially since the restaurant is really picky about its produce. Additionally, customers who are just looking for a “light bite” are encouraged to stop by for coffee and a pastry, a glass of wine and a shared pizza, or just a bowl of soup.
Aroma Garden Café
5875 S. Rainbow Blvd.
221-4893. Open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
Suggested dishes: artichoke appetizer, $9.50; grilled chicken breast in pesto, $13.75; penne with olive oil, garlic and basil, $11.75